Cigarette-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l J. A. BONSAGK. V

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

. No. 247,795. I v Patented 0011.4,1881.

1 15 i E: a T

N in

si "S l filrhlii'xm g WITNESSES: S INVESTOR:

S MQZWM" M Jr'v ,/D I

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. A. BONSAOK.

1 H N i;, R4 I v WITNESSES: R Q I INVENTOR:

, ATTORNEYS.

Phalo-Lilhogmpbcn Washingmn. u. c.

(N 0 Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. A. BO'NSAGK.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 4,1881.

C VH e .MhN 5% INVENTOR 1.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. BONSAOK, OF BONSAOKS, VIRGINIA.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,795, dated October 4, 1881.

Application filed June 21, 1881. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES ALBERT BON- SACK, of Bonsacks, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Cigarette-Machine and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming sections of the'same through the lines 3 y and z 2 respectively, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 6 is an end viewof the machine, showing devices for cutting off the cigarette; Fig. 7, a plan view of these devices; Fig. 8, a side view of the same, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7; and'Fig. 9, a view show- ,ing the alternating arrangement of teeth in the pasting its meeting edges, and finally cutting rolls and belt. 7

Myinvention rel ltes to certainimprovementsupon the cigarette-machine for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted me March 8,1881,No.238,640. This machine operated on the general principle of forming the shredded tobacco first into acontinuous roll or filler, then wrapping a continuous strip of paper longitudinally around this filler, then this continuous cigarette into definite lengths and counting them. For this purpose said machine comprised a combination of a concave with rollers covered with card-cloth, and also. areciprocating beltfordistributingand spreadin g the tobacco for a uniform and-homogeneous feed also, in 'a peculiar]y-construct'ed tapering tube, having an endless belt passing through it which received the tobacco, and was curled up longitudinally as it passed through the tube to form a filler, and which filler was then delivered to another endless belt, which carried the filler and .a strip of paper through another peculiar tube that wrapped the paper around the filler and held it while. being pasted.

My present invention consists, principally, in

means forinsuringthe more uniform passage of the tob'acco'under the concaves; in a brush.

mounted upon the frame of and combined with the reciprocating spreading belt for positively clearing it of the tobacco shreds, which have a tendency to adhere and interfere with the uniformity of the spreading and distributing .with a wheel which presses the filler into an approximately square shape.

The invention also further consists in the improved means for cutting off the cigaretteroll into definite lengths, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the general construction of myimproved machine the tobacco feeding and distributing devices are arranged, as in my prior patent, so that the travel of the stock in these devices is at right angles to the travel of the stock in the filler-forming and paper-wrapping and pasting devices. Thus Fig. 2 is avertical 1ongitudinal section of the tobacco feeding and distributing devices, and Fig. 1 showsan end view of the same with the filler formingand paper-wrapping devices extending therefrom in side View.

In the drawings, (see Fig. 2,) A represents the first endless belt upon which the tobacco is spread by hand.

7 B is the feed-roller which carries the tobacco under the concave B.

B is the distributing roller, and B is astripping-roller which takes off the tobacco from B and throws it down upon the endless spreading-belt O. This belt 0 is distended about rollers 0 G and these rollers are mounted upon a frame, 0 which slides horizontally on guide-rods G from the action of a rocking arm, 0 and connecting-rod G", so that while the belttravels in its endless circuit it also distributes or spreads (as shown by dotted lines) the tobacco on another subjacent belt, D, so that the tobacco does not fall on the latter in piles, all as fully described in my prior patent. The belt D passes around rollers E D and its upper section is supported by a subjacent table. E is a second concave; E a second distributing-roller, and E a second strippingroller, which correspond in their relation and function to B B 13 These last rollers, E E discharge the tobacco into a chute, F, which delivers it to the 'filler-formin g devices, which I will hereinafter describe.

As So far described my improved machine does not differ materially from the corresponding construction in my prior patent. I will now proceed to describe the improvements which I have made.

I found in the old device that with plain rollers 13 and E underneath the concaves the tobacco would at times fail to pass under the concave, but would pile up in front of the same until the increased friction of a larger bulk compelled it to enter, when it would pass to the distributing-roller in a lump which could not be sufficiently distributed by the subsequent operation. To obviate this I cover the surface of the first roller beneath the concave with a series of teeth, which may be permanently located on the roller, as at B, or which may belocated on the beltD, that passes around the roller, as shown at E. In either case the concavebears against the teeth projecting from the round surface of the roller, and the teeth or pins positively carry the tobacco beneath the concave as fast as it is fed to the same by the belt, and does not allow any tobacco to hang back or pile up in front of the concave.

At the upper concave I prefer to make the teeth directly on the roller B, so as to avoid teeth on belt A, which would be liable to prick the hand of the feeder, while at the lower concave I prefer to use a plain roller, E, and place the teeth on the belt D, that passes around the same.

Instead of using card-cloth teeth on the distributing-rollers B and E, as in my prior patent, I also prefer to use larger and straight well-defined teeth, which are arranged in parallel rows around the cylinder about threeeighths of an inch apart, and which rows of teeth alternate with the rows of teeth on the roll B or hell: D. (See Fig. 9.) Such arrangement of teeth I find effects a more perfect transfer of tobacco from one surface to the other.

As thebeltC reciprocates overD to spread the tobacco on the latter, I have found that small particles of tobacco will adhere to belt 0, and insteadof dropping off at the end of this belt 0 they pass around with it, dropping tobacco through the machine, and also interfering with the regularity of the feed. To correct this I mount a rotary brush, O in hearings in the end of the frame next to the delivery end of belt 0, to which brush is imparted a rotary motion in the direction of the arrow, so that its action is to positively clear the belt 0 of all tobacco in a uniform and regular manner, which brush thus co-operates with the reciprocating belt in securing an even and uniform delivery of the tobacco to the belt D. This brush reciprocatcs with the frame of the endless belt (J, and is to be rotated by a short band connecting with a pulley on the nearest roller, 0. Where the tobacco drops upon the toothed belt D, I have found that the masses will sometimes be sus tained upon the tops of the teeth, and when such a clot reaches the concave it is not positively drawn under the same by the teeth, as it should be. To provide for this I place just over the roller E and beside the concave E a presser-roller, 0", which bears upon the teeth of the belt D and forces the tobacco well down between the said teeth, so as to cause the latter to positively carry the same into the concave.

I will now proceed to describe the devices for forming the evenly-distributed tobacco into a filler before receiving its wrapper.

As the tobacco is stripped from the roller E it falls into the chute F, and passes in a thin sheet through a slit in the bottom of said chute into a trough composed of three metal belts, F F F. (See Figs. 3, 4, and 5.) This trough is arranged immediately beneath the elongated opening in the bottom of chute F. and it extends at right angles to the general direction of the feeding and distributing devices shown in Fig. 2. The belt F is distended about two horizontal pulleys, F F which have flanges at their upper edges to hold the belt down, while F is distended about corresponding horizontal pulleys F F, similarly equipped with flanges. The belt F passes around two vertical pulleys, F F. The adjacent sides of the two belts F F form the two vertical walls of the trough, while the upper side of belt F forms the bottom of said trough. Backing-strips of wood G G G are placed on the outer sides of those sections of the belt that form the trough, and re-enforce the trough so as to make its walls unyielding as against pressure from within. These strips also serve to guide the belts and distend them to the proper shape. Thus they cause the belts F F to converge from pulleys F and F to a point, a, Fig. 3, then run parallel for a short distance, and thence diverge to the pulleys F" and F. The two belts F F are guided by the flanges of the pulleys at the top and the belt F at the bottom, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) and the belt F is guided by metal strips b I), inserted between the backing-strips G and G.

At the point a, where the two sides of the trough are parallel, a disk or wheel, H is arranged, which wheel exactly fits between the sides of the trough, and has a straight or square periphery that forces the tobacco down to cause it to be compressed into an approximately square filler. This disk or wheel H is mounted in bearings above the trough, and it rotates passively by the feeding of the tobacco underneath of the same. Instead of using this disk or wheel for this purpose, I may use a short supplemental belt with a roller on the top of it; or I may simply employ a spring-finger for IIO tion of the disk H to form a continuous filler,

00 Fig. 1. Forgiving motion to these two belts I form thepulleys F and F with bevel-teeth on their. lower edges, (see Figs. 2 and 3.) and these I make to engage with bevel-teeth on the opposite sidesof the pulley F carrying the lower belt, F so that all of these steel belts travel with the same 'rate of speed. Instead of gearingthese belts to be driven at the wideend of the tr0ugh,as, shown, they may be arranged to be driven from the narrow end by substantially the same mechanism. The pulley F is arranged upon a shaft that derives motion from long shaft G, hrough a bevelgear, 0, Figs. 1 and 3. As the tiller or compressed line of tobacco issues from the end of the steel-belt trough, as at 00 Fig. 1, it is delivered upon the strip of paper H. and with the paper is carried by endless belt Gr through the wrapping-tube G, where it is operated upon by the paste-wheel G whichis supplied with paste through devices G just as is described in my prior patent.

With respect to this feature of my invention which I havejust described, I would state that I am aware that three endless belts have here tofore been used as a feeding-trough in a cigarmachine,andthatbacking-stripshavealsobecn used behind the belts.

My invention consists in making the trough a convergent trough for compressing the to bacco and providing a pressing-disk or other device operatingiu the open sideof the trough at the point of greatest convergence to complete the formation of a filler.

My invention is also distinctive in making the backing-strips with double inclines, which distend the belts so that in a portion of their travel they are convergent, and during the other portion where the pressing-disk acts between them they are parallel. I also consider my mode of gearing the three belts together for equal and nniform'travel a meritorious feature.

Forcutting the cigaretteinto definitelengths I give to the cutting devices a secondary movement in the same direction with the cigarette as it emerges from the machine. The object of this is as follows: When-the machine is in rapid action the cigarette emerges at quite a rapid rate, and in the interval in which it is being cut into lengths it is practically stopped at its cut end in its progressive movement, but is still feeding from the machine, and this has a tendency to double up the cigarette-roll and burst open the freshly-pasted edges. This is entirely overcome by giving to the cutting device while in cutting action a movement along with the cigarette. I will now proceed to describe particularly the devices for accomplishin g this result. 7

Just to one side of the end of the wrapping and pasting belt from which the cigarette comes is arranged a shaft, d, (see Fig. 7,) carrying at one end a pulley, e, and at the other end acutting-disk, f. The pulley eof the shaft is connected by belts and pulley g with a pulley on the long shaft G through which a rapid rotary action is given to the cutting disk or knife.

In line with the cigarette and encompassing the same is a tubular holder, h, carried upon the top of arm 1', which is pivoted at its lower end, and carries also an inverted-U-shaped piece, j, which acts as a guard or holder for the cigarette that is being cut off. The tubular holder h passes on one side of the cuttingdisk and the guard j on the other. H'eretofore the cigarette has been cut off by moving the knife against the'cigarette, which necessitates aquick movement of av heavy and cumbrous mechanism. knife to the cigarette I bring the cigarette to the knife by projecting the holder h toward the disk, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6.. For this purpose a bar, I, is pivoted at its top, and has two branches at its lower end, one of which has a slotted connection with the arm 17, carryin g the cigarette-holder, and the other of whose branches is operated upon by a cam, m, (see Fig. 7,) on the long shaft G to project the cigarette and its holder toward the knife, the said holder being in turn withdrawn by a spring, a, acting on bar 1'. Now, to cause the knife to have a. movement in line with the cigarette while it is being cut, the rotary knife, its shaft, the cigarette-holder, and its moving arms are all mounted upon a movable or sliding carriage, 0, (see Figs. 8 and 7,) which rests upon the main frame and slides back and forth in line with the travel of the cigarette. This carriage is drawn back by a spring, P, and when the knife is cuttingis moved forward, as shown in dotted lines, by a cam, g, on the end of the shaft G which bearsv against a projection, r, on the carriage O, and throws it out at the proper time.

It will be seen that I have not described any particular frame-work for carrying the parts of my machine, nor any particular belt or gearing connections for giving the proper motion to the several movable parts. These may be varied at will, and can easily be supplied by the mechanic to suit the conditions of the case.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a cigarette-machine, the combination, with a toothed distributing-roller and a double concave, of a roller, located at the entering side of the concave, and having teeth upon its periphery which co-operate with the concave for feeding the stock to the distributing-roller and preventing it from piling up on the outside, as set forth.

2. The combination, withthe endless spreading-belt G and its reciprocating frame or carriage, of a rotary brush, 0 located at the delivery end of said belt and mounted upon its Instead of moving the I carrying-frame, so as to reciprocate with it, as

between the teeth of the belt before passing beneath the concave, as described.

5. A device for forming a continuous cig arette-filler, consisting of three endless belts, two of which are arranged convergently to form a tapered trough, as described, and a pressing device acting in the open side of the trough at the point of greatest convergence, all combined substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with the three endless belts, of the backing-strips G" G, having their opposing faces at one end arranged parallel to receive the pressing-disk, and their opposing faces at the other end arranged convergently to efi'eet the compression of the tobacco, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7 The combination, with three endless belts arranged to form a trough, as described, of the two active pulleys F F, distending the side belts, and the active pulley F, distending the bottom belt, and geared by bevel-teeth directly to the two pulleys F F, for equal movement for the three belts, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the rotary cuttingdisk, the carriage carrying the same, and means for moving the carriage parallel to the feed of the cigarette, ot a holder for the cigarette mounted upon the same carriage, and means for projecting said holder and the cigarette toward the relatively stationary cutting-disk, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination, with the rotary cuttingdisk, maintained at a constant distance from the line of feed of the cigarette, of a holder for the cigarette, and mechanism, substantially as described, for projecting said holder and cigarette toward the cutting-disk to cut the cigarettcs intolcngths, substantially as described. 50

JAMES A. BONSAGK.

Witnesses:

EDW. W. BYRN, CHAS. A. PEITIT. 

